By Nkechi Eze
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has secured a seven-year prison sentence for a former Principal Stock Verifier at the Federal Ministry of Health, Williams Oluwole, over a false certification that facilitated the payment of ₦29.9 million for pharmaceutical products that had not been supplied.
Oluwole was convicted on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, by Justice Yusuf Halilu of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Maitama, Abuja, following his prosecution on a two-count charge bordering on knowingly furnishing false statements in the discharge of his official duties.
According to an official statement signed by the Head of Media and Public Communications of the ICPC, J. Okor Odey, the former ministry official issued a Stock Verification Certificate of Completion in favour of Mubaraq Pharmacy Limited in May 2015, falsely certifying that certain pharmaceutical products had been supplied when they had yet to arrive in Nigeria.
The commission established during the trial that Oluwole issued Stock Verification Certificate No. CA 0329, which facilitated the payment of ₦29,996,120 to the company for the purported supply of 5,113 Ribavirin injections and 5,681 Globavirin tablets.
The prosecution argued that the certificate created the false impression that the company had fulfilled its contractual obligations and was entitled to payment, despite the products not having been supplied at the time the certificate was issued.
In Count One of Charge No. CR/94/2017, Oluwole was accused of knowingly furnishing a false statement in his capacity as Principal Stock Verifier at the Federal Ministry of Health by certifying the receipt of the undelivered pharmaceutical products.
The offence was contrary to and punishable under Section 16 of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000. The second count bordered on making a false statement to the then Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, Linus Awute, contrary to Section 25(1)(a) of the same Act.
Delivering judgment, Justice Halilu found Oluwole guilty and sentenced him to seven years’ imprisonment on Count One. The court also imposed a fine of ₦100,000 on Count Two and directed that he serve his prison sentence at the Kuje Correctional Centre, Abuja.
The ICPC prosecution team was led by its counsel, N. J. Onwuka, Esq., who appeared alongside P. N. Emeka, Esq. The defendant was represented by Abubakar Adamu, Esq.
